Filling valve seal



March 22, 1938.

J. KANTOR El AL 2,112,199

FILLING VALVE SEAL Filed Feb. 24, 1936 .21 as" M 'JJ" -29 g- J8 II/ I/ INVENTbRfiL J anior and BY id lzfd jkm 123,

ATTORNEYS.

do back into the gas supply chamber. ed to be contacted, when the casing 3 is raised, Heretofore, packing means have been used to by the top of the ring 4 for the purpose of openprevent the escape of this flowing gas, and while ing the valve. This valve controls flow ports ll such packing means have, to an extent, prevented in the base i connected through suitable ports such an escape, there has been difficulty in mainwith the water supply connection i8. 25 taining the packing means tight andat the same A second tube, the gas tube, l9 depends from time in such condition as to permit the ready the casing I and this tube at its lower end is movement of the parts. 1 v provided with discharge openings l9 somewhat The present invention relates primarily to an above the bottom of the water tube i2. Gas flow 3 improved means of packing or sealing the parts is admitted to this tube through suitable flow against the escape of this gas. ports 20, in turn controlled by the counter-pres- For the purpose of disclosing our invention, we sure valve 2i having a stem 22, likewise adapted have illustrated an embodiment thereof in the to be engaged by the ring 4 when the tube 3 is accompanying drawing, in which: raised, for the purpose of opening this valve, and

. Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a filler the flow port 26 is connected through suitable valve embodying our invention; and ports with the gas connection 23. It will be noted m0ve t, the w of gas and W e is 0011- end somewhat above the inlet openings 29 and Patented Mar. 22, 1938 V UNITED STATES PATENT otFtcE FILLING VALVE SEAL James Kantor and Edward Marovitz, Chicago, Ill., assignors to The Liquid Carbonic Corporation, Chicago, III., a corporation of Delaware Application February 24, 1936, Serial No. 65,188

10 Claims. (01. 226-115) The invention relates to improvements in bottle 3 and having an annular lip 5 adapted, at the filling machines and more particularly to the limit of its downward movement, to engage an filler valve for such machines. annular flange 6 on the tube 2.

It has for one of its objects that of providing The casing 3 is biased in its downward direc- 5 means for more efiiciently preventing the escape tion through the medium of a coiled spring 1 5 of gas during the process of filling the bottle. interposed between an inner flange 8 in the cas- The filling valve of our invention is particuing 2 and a washer-like disc 9 at the bottom of larly adapted for use in What is known as the the casing 3. This disc rests upon a shoulder H3 counter-pressure system of filling bottles with formed on the inner periphery of the casing 3 10 liquid. In accordance with this system, CO2, and below this shoulder, the casing 3 is inter- 10 commonly referred to as the gas, is initially intronally screw-threaded as at I l. duced into the bottle. After the bottle has be- A water tube l2 extends downwardly from the come substantially full of gas, the liquid to be base i and this tube at its lower end is provided deposited in the bottle is allowed to flow in, and with a sealing valve l3 mounted upon the lower 15 this liquid flows in against the pressure of gas end of a control rod l4, extending upwardly 15 in the bottle and in the liquid tank until the gas through the tube 2 and connected to an operatpressure and the liquid pressure balance, at which ing stem IS. The flow of water through this time the liquid stops flowing and the bottle has water tube is controlled by a water-control valve become filled. The gas which is initially deposited i 5 having an operating stem l l projecting downin the bottle, during the inflow of the liquid, flows wardly beyond the bottom of the base and adapt- Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail section showing that the stem 22 is longer than the stem i! so more particularly the pa Sealing means. that as the tubular casing 3 is raised, this stem The valve illustrated is one of a series of valves 22 will operate to operate valve 2! prior to the adapted to be connected to a suitable supply tank opening of the valve 16 so that the gas supply will and associated with b le rryin mechanism be admitted to the bottle prior to the inlet of which, at time intervals, raises the bottle into the water. a position for the tiller tubes of the valve to be In addition to the above two tubes, there is p oj te o the bott and by this raising provided a snifter tube 24 opening at its lower trolled. adapted to be controlled by a snifter valve (not In the structure illustrated, we provide a base I shown). This valve is only adapted to be open by which the valve structure may be supported for a short period after the filling of the bottle from the filling tank and which is provided with has been completed.

a series of ports more fully hereinafter described. The lower end of the casing 3 is provided with 50 This base supports a tubularcasing 2 which at a bottle receiving throat 25 which is screwits top is screw-threaded into the base. Telethreaded into an extension 26, in turn screwscoping this tubular casing is a second casing 3, threaded into the lower end of the tubular casthe downward movement of which is limited by ing 3. Within this extension and immediately a ring t, screw-threaded to the top of the casing above the throat 25 we provide a rubber sealing 55 ring 21 which is clamped between the top of the throat 25 and the bottom of a packing sleeve 28. This sleeve is screw-threaded into the upper end of the extension 26 and at its upper end is restricted to provide a sleeve extension 28' extending upwardly and surrounding the snifter tube 24.

When the bottle to be filled is raised to enter the throat 25, it eventually contacts. with the sealing ring 21, thereby sealing the top of the bottle, and a continued upward movement of the bottle causes the casing 3 to rise, projecting the gas and water tubes into the bottle until the gas and water valves have been successively opened to permit the inflow of gas and liquid. One difiiculty which has been heretofore experienced is that of providing a proper packing or seal around the snifter tube 24 so that gas will not pass out of the bottle around the snifter tube 24 and thence to the atmosphere. In the present structure, we have provided a packing at this point, which constitutes an effective seal, the tightness of the seal depending upon the gas pressure, which not only permits an easy movement between the relatively moving parts but effectively seals against the escape of gas.

To this end, within the packing sleeve 28, we mount a pair of leather rings 29 and 30, the adjacent edges of which are adapted to abut and the opposite ends of which are each provided with an outwardly extending annular flange 3|. These rings surround the snifter tube 24 and when in assembled position, provide a packing ring surrounding the tube and somewhat chan nel-shape in cross section. Within the channel of this packing ring, we arrange a rubber tube 32 which resiliently clamps the rings in position. Surrounding the rubber tube 32 is a cylinder 33 preferably formed of brass and having inturned annular flanges 34 which fit within the outturned annular flanges of the sealing leathers 29 and 33. These annular flanges 34 slightly space the cylinder 33 from the rubber tube 32 to provide a chamber 35 between the tube and between the cylinder and the tube. This cylinder 33 at its lower end is provided with inlet ports 36 opposite an enlarged portion 31 in the valve packing sleeve 28. A look nut 38 screwthreads into the lower end of the packing sleeve 28 and clamps the flanges 3| of the leather sleeves tightly over the flanges 34 of the cylinder 33. This nut 38 is provided with suitable passages 39 and the nut is slightly spaced from the snifter tube 24 so that a gas passage is provided along the snifter tube to these passages 39. In order to maintain the sealing washer 21 out of contact with the snifter tube 24, there is provided a ferrule 48, preferably of brass, fitting within the washer and flanged as at 4| to seat on the top of the washer. This ferrule is slightly larger than the diameter of the snifter tube 24 so that the washer is held spaced from the snifter tube and a passage for the gas is provided into the chamber 35.

In operation, when the neck of the bottle enters the throat 25 and contacts with the sealing ring or washer 21, the continued upward movement of the bottle causes the ring 4 to engage the stem 22 and open the valve 2|. This admits gas into the bottle through the gas supply tube l9 and as the gas continues to rise in the bottle, a portion thereof will flow up between the ferrule 40 and the snifter tube through the openings 39, the passages 31, the openings 36, into the chamber 35, exerting a pressure on the rubber tube 32, thereby causing this tube to force the sealing leathers 29 and 30 tightly against the snifter tube, thereby preventing the passage of gas upward past the snifter tube to the atmosphere. It will be noted that this passage of gas does not take place until the bottle has been completely filled with gas, and by this time, the upward movement of the bottle has been such as to open the valve I6, at which time the bottle will have come to rest. It is, therefore, apparent that the greatest pressure exerted upon the sealing leathers occurs practically after the relative movement between the bottle throat and its associated parts and the snifter tube has ceased so that this increased pressure does not materially affect the relative movement of the parts.

It is further noted that the sealing mechanism above described becomes more effective with the increase in pressure of the gas. In other Words, as the demand for a tighter seal occurs, the seal ing effect is increased.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a container filling machine, the coinbination with a tube adapted for projection into a container to be filled, of a sleeve telescoping said tube, movable relatively to said tube and having means engaging and sealing the neck of the container to the atmosphere, means for admitting fluid pressure to said container after it has been sealed by said engaging and sealing means and fluid pressure operated sealing means between said sleeve and tube, normally open to the atmosphere and placed in communication with the interior of the container by the sealing of the container upon the engagement therewith by said engaging means.

2. In a container filling machine, the combination with a tube adapted for projection into a container to be filled, of a sleeve telescoping said tube, movable relatively to said tube and having means engaging and sealing the neck of the container to the atmosphere, and sealing means for sealing the sliding joint between said sleeve and tube, comprising a ring carried by said sleeve and embracing said tube, and means carried by said sleeve and having conduits for conveying fluid pressure to the exterior of said ring to force the same into close embrace with said tube, said conduits being normally open to atmospheric pressure and placed in communication with fluid pressure supply upon the sealing of the container by said engaging means.

3. In a container filling machine, the combination with a tube adapted for projection into a container to be filled, of a sleeve telescoping said tube, having a central opening through which said tube is adapted to pass, a fluid pressure operated packing member carried by said sleeve and embracing said tube, and means having a fluid pressure chamber surrounding said packing and having two-way open passages leading to said chamber for admitting fluid under pressure to one side of said packing member for forcing the same against said sleeve.

4. In a container filling machine, the combination with a tube adapted for projection into a container to be filled, of a sleeve telescoping said tube, an annular chamber formed within said sleeve, and a fluid pressure operated packing member arranged in said chamber and embracing said sleeve, said chamber having a twoway communication with the interior of said sleeve.

5. In a container filling machine, the combination with a tube adapted for projection into a container to be filled, of a sleeve telescoping said tube and movable relatively to said tube, and

having means for engaging the neck of the container, said sleeve having an annular chamber formed in its inner wall, and a sealing sleeve arranged in said. chamber and surrounding said tube, channel-shaped in cross section, said chamber having a two-Way communication with the interior or said sleeve.

6. In a container filling machine, the combina tion with a tube adapted for projection into a container to be filled, of a sleeve telescoping said tube, movable relatively to said tube and having means engaging the neck of the container, an annular channel formed in the inner periphery of said sleeve, a sealing sleeve arranged in said annular channel, channel-shaped in cross section and embracing said tube, and a clamping sleeve surrounding said sealing sleeve, said chamber having a two-way communication with the interior of said first mentioned sleeve.

7. In a container filling machine, the combination with a tube adapted for projection into a container to be filled, of a sleeve telescoping said tube, movable relatively to said tube and having means engaging the neck of the container, said sleeve having an annular channel formed on its inner periphery, a sealing sleeve arranged in said channel embracing said tube and channel-shaped in cross section, a clamping sleeve arranged in said channel between the ends of said sealing sleeve and spaced apart from said first mentioned sleeve and said channel having a two-way communication with the interior of said first mentioned sleeve.

8. In a container filling machine, the combination with a tube adapted for projection into a container to be filled, of a sleeve telescoping said tube, movable relatively to said tube and having means engaging the neck of the container, said sleeve having an annular channel in its inner periphery, a pair of sealing sleeves surrounding said tuloe, each having an annular flange fitting within said annular channel, a flexible sleeve surrounding said sealing sleeves, a rigid clamping sleeve fitting between the annular flanges of said sealing sleeve and spaced apart from said flexible sleeve to form a pressure chamber, said chamber having a two-Way communication with the interior of said first mentioned sleeve.

9. In a filling machine, the combination with a tube adapted to be projected into a container to be filled, of a sealing bell for the container neck telescoping said tube, means for admitting counter-pressure gas to the container, and a fluid pressure operated sealing member for sealing the joint between said tube and said bell normally subjected to atmospheric pressure and subjected, when the container is sealed by said bell, to' the counter-pressure admitted to the container.

10. In a container filling machine, the combination with a tube adapted for projecting into a container'to be filled, of a sleeve telescoping said tube having an open lower end adapted to engage and seal the neck of the container to the atmosphere, and fluid pressure operating sealing means having a two-way fluid conveying port communicating with the interior of said sleeve.

JAMES KANTOR. EDWARD MAROVITZ. 

